I love it/I hate it/And this is how I rate it...

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating

7/10

Value

8/10

Reliability

7/10

Quality

8/10

Performance

9/10

Styling

9/10

Comfort

9/10

"I bought my '02 GLS 1.8T Tiptronic wagon in May of 06 with 61k miles. It is my daily driver and with a 25 miles commute each way, it is currently sitting at 92k. I love many things about this car. The styling is very handsome, I think the Passat is one of the best looking entry level family cars available anywhere. It looks especially sharp in dark colors, such as the Indigo Blue Metallic (dark blue) paint mine sports. It is extremely comfortable and roomy, long road trips are a pleasure and with the rear seats folded down the cargo capacity of the wagon is postively cavernous. It has more cargo capacity than my friend's Jeep Grand Cherokee! The car is a blast to drive, I love the manual shifting capability of the Tiptronic. The 1.8 engine, like any turbo, is slow off the line but once you hit 2000 rpm it sings pure performance opera. And it returns a respectable 24 mpg combined, with up to 32 mpg on long road trips. The interior is the nicest in its class, lots of nicely textured surfaces that look like they came straight out of an Audi. My experience hasn't been all roses, however. The engine threw a rod at 83k miles and completely destroyed it. The weird thing about it is that it had always run on synthetic its entire life, and had none of the turbo sludge buildup that is usually responsible for the failure of these 1.8 liter engines. Thankfully, VW of America agreed that it was a defective engine and cover the cost of the engine replacement, which was a staggering $8,000. My other big complaint with the car is that it is WAY too low to the ground; it bottoms out constantly and I've partially ripped off the front bumper cover three times from catching it on curbs and concrete parking barriers, to the tune of some $300 per repair. Also, the car has numerous squeaks and rattles, which have grown more numerous with time. Overall, I have a love/hate relationship with this car; I love the classy styling, comfortable interior and gutsy yet gas sipping turbo; I hate the ridiculous 4.5 inch ground clearance, the sqeuaks/rattles and the fact that the engine blew up at 83k. I personally am unlikely to ever own another VW due to their spotty reliability and high parts cost, but here's my reccomendation to people considering this car: Its a great car overall, but if you buy it, buy one that's still under warranty and get rid of it as soon as it expires. Or if you do get one out of warranty, the purchase of an extended warranty would be extremely advisable."

Good Car but parts cost

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating

8/10

Value

9/10

Reliability

9/10

Quality

7/10

Performance

8/10

Styling

8/10

Comfort

7/10

Pros: "good car great handling"

Cons: "parts"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 8

"I have had my car for almost 10 years and have over 200,000 miles on it. The biggest con I have on it is the parts replacement nothing is cheap. It also likes to eat headlights. But compared to other cars with the type of mileage it has it has been a great car and i hope to drive it till the wheels fall off."

"When you go to Europe you will see a lot of these cruising around in different generations. Why? Because it's reliable, durable and stylish vehicles. Europeans prefer the diesel engines over the gas but I love the power of my car. Well built, fully equipped family car with great suspension. The design is so solid and simple that you don't feel it's outdated or old. It's a car looking car not like some of the Korean designs. Those looks outdated after 2 years.
Maintenance and oil changes are more expensive than Japanese cars but it gives you so much more pleasure to drive. You should find alternative options for repair. The VW dealerships are expensive. Go there for major tune-up only. My other car is a Honda Accord so I know what I am talking about."

"The 1.8T was redesigned to fit in the B5 Passats which causes the oil not to flow correctly causing sluge. You MUST use the VW approved oil or you end up with a dead engine sitting on the side of the road. ALSO the timing belt MUST be change or it will fail without notice causing a total engine failure leaving you on the side of the road. Other than that, great mileage, fun to drive, and VW drivers always get speeding tickets. Its built for speed and comfort and you will notice that when you passing a State Trooper at 90 MPH!!!"

"Love this car. I have driven it for over 103K since bought. Timing belt is the most intensive job. Done around 80K can run about $800 if not DIY. Since I am a DIYer and a car nut, I have no problem with the extra attention this car and most German cars need. You need to know what does what and look out for potential issues. This is not a honda or a Toyota appliance. It is meant to be driven. Also, it requires regular maintenance and does not take kindly to neglect. I love the way it handles, though not on stock 15" tires. Power delivery on the 1.8T and V6 is smooth and adequate, stock. I still regularly hit up to 30-32 mpg on the highway, loaded. I only scored it low on recommendation because it is not for everybody with regards to maintenance. Other than that, I could not be happier with it. It is the longest I have ever kept a car."

"Purchased as a certified vehicle with 18k miles, it has been my best experience with a car. I had 3 Accords prior and was compelled to sell each by 160k (I no longer felt safe and comfortable on the highway). My Passat still feels more solid and steady than the many cars I rent (though a recent rental of a Volvo C30 was quite nice) and I would drive it cross-country today without hesitation. It can be expensive to repair, but still a fraction of the cost of new vehicle depreciation. I have had less to repair than my Accords."

"I bought the car barely used and have thoroughly enjoyed it. It is a great blend of comfort, fun driving dynamics, and utility. It has held up well with regular maintenance and daily use. At 156K miles, it still is tight, rock solid, and fun to drive. I plan to keep it until I drive the wheels off of it - 300K seems reasonable"

"Car was great and problem free until about 70K. Then unrelated problems kept coming and coming: no heat, leaking coolant, thurmastat, leaking gasket, rear defrost, regulator in door (works window), etc. Made all repairs at dealership, but new problems persisted. I thought it would run until 110K . Now spending too much time and money repairing and just want to get rid of it.
When it worked, it was great. Loved it. Only complaint was it was a little underpowered. Great ride, sharp looking and very convenient. Even with problems mentioned above, car never failed to get me where I needed to go and never overheated."

"I've been driving this car for about a year and it's had over 200,000 miles on it since I bought it... still runs great and is a very dependable car. I took it out during the recent snowstorm and it heated right up and kept me and the engine warm without skipping a beat. In the summer, the AC is very cold and is quick to work even on the hottest of days. I definitely recommend!!!"

"There are not many German engineered vehicles like the Volkswagen Passat TDI sedan and wagon. They have best heated seats. The blue and pink diode gauges are a nice added touch to the interior. I wish that VW had this car in a GLX that would offer the automatic Climatronic and the rain sensor, auto dimming interior mirror, pwr. seats and last but not least the pwr. folding mirrors. The B4 passat wagon is hands down the best built and reliable Passat on the market. I would highly recommend this vehicle."

Had enough!

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating

4/10

Value

5/10

Reliability

5/10

Quality

5/10

Performance

6/10

Styling

7/10

Comfort

6/10

"I had this car for 7 1/2 years now. Every single year that I had it I have had some out-of-pocket expense for repairs or maintenance on it. Not only was the cost in money but also in time since I have no 2nd car and I had to take off to get some of these repairs. If I couldn't take the day off I had to rent a car. This happened more than a few times. Not only have I had several major repairs over the 7 years but the lousy work at the dealership caused me to sometimes have the same problem fixed multiple times. I don't want to go into more detail because I could write a book about it. Just want to warn people considering this car if you want real reliablity look elsewhere. I myself have had enough. I'm going to keep this car for the winter and in the Spring when I get my incometax refund I plan on buying something new while can still trade this car in."

Never buy a VW

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating

1/10

Value

1/10

Reliability

1/10

Quality

1/10

Performance

1/10

Styling

3/10

Comfort

3/10

"This car has been NOTHING but trouble since I bought it. It was the biggest mistake buying it. I bought it as a certified preowned vehicle.
The gas pedal sticks, I now found out it is an electrical problem VW refuses to fix. I found out the oil pan's coating flakes off and does not oil get into the engine. I am fixing the oil problem and I am selling the car."

Great Gas Mileage

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating

7/10

Value

7/10

Reliability

8/10

Quality

8/10

Performance

8/10

Styling

9/10

Comfort

9/10

"This 4 cylinder turbo engine Passat gives very good gas mileage on freeways. I get closer to 31 mpg on free ways. But during city drive I get around 24 mpg. It's a sturdy vehicle with good controls.
The thing I don't like about this vehicle is the maintenance expense, especially if you take it to VW dealer. In addition, I noticed I had an issue with its moon roof operation which was very difficult to isolate and fix.
Also, this vehicle had too many recalls.
In the end, I would recommend this vehicle for its road comfort, sleek style and sturdiness."

162K miles and still running strong.

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating

8/10

Value

9/10

Reliability

8/10

Quality

8/10

Performance

8/10

Styling

8/10

Comfort

9/10

"I'm a very long term VW fan. My first car was a 1962 Beetle. over the years I've had plenty of cars, but he VWs are still my favorite.
I currently have a 2002 Passat GLX 4Motion Wagon with the 2.6 liter V6. We love this car. It has been very comfortable and quite reliable.
As with all cars, we've had a few maintenance issues that were quickly addressed by the local dealer. Problems to date include: Leaking sun roof; plugged sun roof drains (recall issue); slight slipping of the transmission during acceleration between 35 and 50 mph. That's about it.
One thing to keep in mind regarding service, always use synthetic oil (VW recommends 5W-40).
So, back to the car...
Quiet, comfortable and dependable. We can haul around more stuff than my father-in-law can in his Toureg! Mileage has been pretty good, about 23 mpg on average, peaking at 30+ mpg on the highway.
if you enjoy affordable quality German engineering, consider the Passat."

Best of comfort and reliability

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating

9/10

Value

9/10

Reliability

10/10

Quality

10/10

Performance

8/10

Styling

8/10

Comfort

10/10

Pros: "Affordable, comfortable, reliable, practical"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"I've had my Passat for eight years and it has never needed any work outside of routine maintenance. Volkswagens are extremely reliable and comfortable. Were it not for a few cosmetic issues that have popped up over the years in addition to my dog eating three out of five seatbelts in the car, I would be driving it into the ground. The car has always been fun to drive and easy to maintain."

"The Car is great to drive around in. I have the 4 cylinder 1.8L Turbo, FWD. The car has comfortable seats, and the gas and break pedal give you the ability to increase speed very quickly or gently slow down. This car is fun to drive! Purchased at for 8k at 87,000 miles. Get this car only if it has quality car-fax and has been given premium gas. The car requires high maintenance and don't expect to get away with anything less than synthetic oil! make sure waterpump and timing belt are done before 95,000 miles. City mileage is not the greatest ( I get around 18mpg, Highway around 23-25mpg)"

"Bought a 2002 GLS Wagon at 52K miles. So far I have driven 3K miles and had no major repairs. Driving and handling is superb, however I feel the base model 1.8 liter - 4 cylinder- Turbocharged engine is bit underpowered at 170 HP, especially if you live in hilly areas carrying 3 or more adults plus luggage. This wagon is certainly not a performance car by any means. If given an option, opt for V6 or W8 engines. Also, it jerks quite hard when you shift gear after startup, not while driving though. Gives about 18/24 mpg. Monsoon stereo is very good. Other than that, it has a lot of space, 4 basic electrical outlets, tons of safety features, AC works fine but takes a toll on mpg. A good basic people hauler."

Worst Car EVER

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating

1/10

Value

1/10

Reliability

1/10

Quality

1/10

Performance

3/10

Styling

1/10

Comfort

1/10

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 1

"I bought this car with $85,000 miles on it and have had nothing but trouble from day one. I have has to replace the transmission, fuel pump twice, oil pump and a number of other items since I have owned it. The gas milage hasn't been that great either. I would never buy another passat."

"Good car at first, then the sensors start going out. Hit a bump in the highway and get an airbag default that's going to cost $3k to repair. Drivers door breaks for no reason, another $400 to repair. Inline emission switch goes out, $550 for the part, $250 to install grand total of that repair is 4889.65. Seat belt sensor fault, had it diagnosed and it will be another $349 repair. Bottom line, don't buy this car unless you have a few thousand dollars just sitting in your bank account for repairs."

"I bought my 2002 VW Passat after a terrible series of sour lemons. I've been very pleased with the car especially since I did buy it used not knowing what I was getting myself into. The big drawback in this endeavor is the fact that I am college student so yes, there is a definite "scarcity" in money! Getting repairs and maintenance has been a pain but well worth it. So, yes I didn't realize that VW was in the league of Mercedes, BMW, etc. therefore parts and service would be more than other cars out there... Yet, I am very pleased with my VW. Plus, I couldn't believe it when people told me they were envious of my Passat but hey, it does look pretty nice. Do yourself a favor, if you don't like Hondas; check out the VWs."

Some Things are Great, But..

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating

5/10

Value

6/10

Reliability

6/10

Quality

7/10

Performance

8/10

Styling

7/10

Comfort

7/10

"We bought this car new in 2003, Passat Wagon 1.8T. There are things I really love about it, but it has been costly to maintain - certainly compared to our other car which is 5 yrs older. The big issues I have had are routine replacement of brake rotors (haven't seen others mention this, but, I have never replaced rotors on any other car - these cannot be turned.) Also, the water pump had to be replaced at 40K?! So, they convinced us to do the timing belt at the same time to save on the labor cost of doing it later (apparently you are right there when doing the water pump and the whole front of the car has to come off). Now, I'm at 86K and am told the water pump is leaking and we should do it all again for $1300??!! The original maintenance recommendation is not until 90 - 100K. Shouldn't the cars parts last longer than that? We have replaced 2 CV boots, fuel pump was replaced under recall. The driver seat broke under warranty (it again has creaks and pops - not a big deal but, cannot be fixed, only replaced for $1000), am being told the motor mounts need to be replaced. We have maintained this car to a "T." Every check up has been done - synthetic oil has always been use and premium gas. All done at the dealer. For those people who think these things are because the car is not being maintained - it's not always....what more could we have done? Except buy a different car. Maybe it's just a lemon, or maybe it's the dealership that's doing the repairs - I don't know. It's sad. the car gets very good gas mileage, runs great, is very solid and handles beautifully after 8 years. But, it's expensive to maintain. I don't work full time, so the trips to the dealership aren't a huge hardship, but it's still a pain. Great car - never left me stranded, but high maintenance/cost in my opinion."

Worst car Iv'e ever had

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating

3/10

Value

4/10

Reliability

2/10

Quality

5/10

Performance

6/10

Styling

6/10

Comfort

6/10

"I bought this 04 Passat when it was 4 years old with about 62k miles on it. I love the styling and standard features, the AWD in the snow was amazing in this Colorado weather. But at about 80k miles, I started having problems. Electrical issues- warning lights going off for no reason, headlights not working, display on the dash fading in and out. Replaced head gasket, coolant tank, some hoses and belts etc. due to coolant and oil mixing- cost about $2k.
Replaced ENTIRE engine at 86k mile due to cracked engine block- oil and coolant were mixing inside the coolant tank- gasket was not the culprit. Now, more warning lights, every time I turn right the car beeps and says "warning: brake fault: STOP". I just had the brakes checked and they were fine. So, can't wait to dump this lemon as soon as possible. It has cost me hours of no pay from work, $600 in rental car fees and thousands in repairs."

pretty on the outside, hunk of junk under the hood

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating

3/10

Value

4/10

Reliability

2/10

Quality

4/10

Performance

5/10

Styling

8/10

Comfort

8/10

"Bought this used from a dealer, a year later am dealing with engine sludge due to the previous owner not putting synthetic oil in the car. The costs for premium gasoline, synthetic oil, and the ridiculous maintenance make this car unaffordable for the average person. Maintenance on a VW generally requires some part of the car to be removed - so you get charged an extra few hundred dollars for labor. I bought a VW because my previous VW Beetle was great and very reliable (despite ridiculous maintenance costs), but this will be my last VW and the last fistful of money I throw at VWoA."

ehh

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating

6/10

Value

7/10

Reliability

5/10

Quality

7/10

Performance

9/10

Styling

9/10

Comfort

9/10

"I bought my 04 Passat GLX used (2 previous owners) with 73,000 miles. Thought it was a good deal but had major issues within first 2 years. (1) Both CV Joints replaced (2) Cam Seals - twice due to dealer error (3) Water pump (4) Belts replaced (5) Fuel Pump replaced at 103,000 (6) Purge valve replacement recently. The list could keep going. The water pump and belts were precautionary when the cam seals went. That repair alone cost me $1600. If it wasn't for that repair I would have gave this vehicle better ratings. Just had bad luck with Volkswagon this time. Wouldn't recommend my vehicle to someone else but maybe a similar model."